Supply of Containerized Seedlings (Q-PLUG)

Description: This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation number is AG-04N7-S-13-0007 and is issued as a Request for Proposals (RFP). The NAICS code is 113210. The small business size standard is $7.0 million average annual receipts. This acquisition is a small business set-aside. This solicitation is for a firm fixed price contract. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular FAC 2005-63. The following clauses and provisions apply to this acquisition: 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items; 52.212-2 Evaluation Commercial Items; the evaluation criteria stated in paragraph (a) of this provision are as follows: (1) Technical Capability to meet requirements stated herein, (2) Past Performance and 3) Price. Technical and Past Performance when combined are approximately equal to cost or price. The contract award will be offered to the best value offer made to the Government, considering technical capability, past performance and price; 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items and 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders- Commercial Items. In paragraph (b) of 52.212-5, the following apply: 52.203-6 (Alt I),52.219-6, 52.222-3, 52.222-19, 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, 52.222-37, 52.222-54, 52.225-1, 52.225-13 and 52.232-33. AGAR 452.209.71 - Assurance Regarding Felony Conviction or Tax Deliquent Status for Corporate Applicants (Alternate 1 (Feb 2012) All clauses and provisions referenced in this announcement may be accessed at the following website: http://www.arnet.gov/far/ SCOPE OF CONTRACT: Production of Container Seedlings - It is the purpose of this solicitation to obtain the supply of an estimated 5.7 million (estimated 3.7 million starting 2/01/13 and estimated 2.0 million starting 7/01/13) container seedlings to be grown at a growing facility until Government transports and direct plants into the fields at the J. Herbert Stone Nursery of the Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest. The primary species will be Douglas-Fir and Ponderosa Pine, but other conifer species may be included. The offeror's growing facility must be located within 200 miles of the J. Herbert Stone Nursery, Central Point, Oregon, to facilitate direct planting of the seedlings into the fields at the J. Herbert Stone Nursery site. The Government will: 1) Provide the contractor with test data for each seed lot used including seeds per pound, germination, purity, test dates and total weight; 2) stratify the seed; 3) provide the Hortiblocks 200 (block size: approximately 13.5 in. wide x 26.5 in. long x 2.25 in. deep) filled with growing media; 4) deliver the Hortiblocks to contractor's growing facility estimated by February 1, 2013 (estimated 3.7 million) and July 1, 2013(estimated 2.0 million); 5) provide mycorrhizal inoculum and 6) return transportation/shipping of container seedlings in Hortiblocks no later than October 11, 2013. The Government will make periodic inspections of the stock at the contractor's facility. Deficiencies noted at such inspections shall be promptly corrected. Final inspection and acceptance will be made at time of delivery. Payment: a progress payment of 25 percent will be made after any needed thinning of seedlings. Final payment will be made at the unit contract price for all container seedlings accepted and shipped (transported by the Government) to the J. Herbert Stone Nursery, Central Point, Oregon. The contractor will be responsible to provide a permanent greenhouse at a growing facility located within 200 miles of the J. Herbert Stone Nursery, Central Point, Oregon. The contractor will calculate the seed required to produce the number of seedlings requested using the seed lot data provided by the government. The contractor will provide the government with the methods used to calculate seed use and the government reserves the right to modify or reject the methods used. The contractor will be responsible sowing the seed into the Hortiblocks 200, germinating the seed and growing the seedlings to acceptable size and condition including fertilization, heating, irrigation, lighting, mychorrhizal inoculation, pest control, weeding and thinning to a single seedling per cell. The growing objective is to germinate the seed and achieve moderate, balanced growth sufficient to facilitate easy transplanting in nursery fields and achieve high post-transplanting survival rates. As an option item, the contractor may request payment for the total cells sown on seed lots with poor germination. The contractor will provide the minimum acceptable germination rate per species based on the laboratory germination rates provided by the government as documentation for payment of this option item. Preparation for shipping: Irrigate within 4 hours of shipping to saturate the media. Records: The Contractor shall maintain and upon request, provide the Government a record by date listing the cultural work undertaken for the contract. Records shall include seeds per cell sown, oversow rates, contractor completed germination test results, dates of fertilization, insecticide/fungicide treatment, temperatures, watering, inventory numbers, and any other cultural work performed on all or any portion of the seedlings receiving different treatment. Period of Contract - Estimated: Date of award - October 31, 2013 All responsible sources may submit an offer, including unit pricing information per M/seedling delivered and unit pricing per M/seedling for the option item of sowing poor performing seed lots. Pricing, Information establishing verification of technical capability to meet Specifications and Past Performance information are due to the USDA, Forest Service, Rogue River -Siskiyou National Forest, Attn: Contracting, 3040 Biddle Road, Medford, Oregon 97504-4119 by 4:30 p.m., local time, January 10, 2013. Send questions by FAX to +1 (555) 000-0000. - Attn: Contracting. Please provide Duns Number, Tax Identification Number (TIN) and EMAIL address. NOTE: Offerors MUST register in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) data base - See FAR 52.204-7 and Online Representations and Certifications Applications (ORCA) - See FAR clause 52.204-8. These are now consolidated at the following site: https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ Complete and return with proposal AGAR 452.209-70 - Representation by Corporations Regarding an Unpaid Delinquent Tax Liability or Felony Conviction (Deviation 2012-01) (Feb 2012) Alternate 1 (Feb 2012) AGAR 452.209 - 70 REPRESENTATION BY CORPORATIONS REGARDING AN UNPAID DELINQUENT TAX LIABILITY OR A FELONY CONVICTION (DEVIATION 2012-01) (FEB 2012)Alternate 1 (Feb 2012). (a.) Awards made under this solicitation are subject to the provisions contained in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. No. 112-74), Division E, Sections 433 and 434 regarding corporate felony convictions and corporate federal tax delinquencies. To comply with these provisions, all offerors must complete paragraph (1) of this representation, and all corporate offerors also must complete paragraphs (2) and (3) of this representation. (b) The Offeror represents that - (1) The Offeror is [ ], is not [ ] (check one) an entity that has filed articles of incorporation in one of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or the various territories of the United States including American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Midway Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands. (Note that this includes both for-profit and non-profit organizations.) If the Offeror checked "is" above, the Offeror must complete paragraphs (2) and (3) of the representation. If Offeror checked "is not" above, Offeror may leave the remainder of the representation blank. (2) (i) The Offeror has [ ], has not [ ] (check one) been convicted of a felony criminal violation under Federal or State law in the 24 months preceding the date of offer. (ii) Offeror has [ ], has not [ ] (check one) had any officer or agent of Offeror convicted of a felony criminal violation for actions taken on behalf of Offeror under Federal law in the 24 months preceding the date of offer. (3) The Offeror does [ ], does not [ ] (check one) have any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability. (End of provision)